How to delete iCloud details and start fresh on iPad Pro 5th Gen?

Motherwell wrote:

I need to delete everything in my iCloud account. So that I can pick and choose what I save to the iCloud. The system tells me that I have to upgrade my account. Don't understand when my husband also has an iPad with 4700 pictures on his and I have 2700. He has 25 GB left on his and I have only 4GB.

Can you help me.

The information that you see relates to available storage within your Apple Account (i.e. iCloud) - and not the locally available storage on the iPad itself. If your current available iCloud storage is nearly full, you will see the warning that you describe. Here is an an explanation...

Unless you subscribe to Apple’s “paid” iCloud storage plans, you only have 5GB of iCloud storage - which for anything other than basic synchronisation between devices, may be inadequate for your storage needs.

For a small monthly subscription, you can opt for 50GB, 200GB, 2TB or more of iCloud storage. A 50GB plan is, for many, sufficient for the majority of needs - the monthly subscription being less than the cost of a cup of coffee in High Street coffee shop. If you routinely store files and photos in iCloud, the "free" 5GB storage included with a basic Apple Account is likely to be insufficient.

Manage your iCloud storage - Apple Support

Upgrade to iCloud+ - Apple Support

iCloud+ plans and pricing - Apple Support

You can see your available device storage in iPad settings:

Settings > General > iPad Storage

Your available iCloud storage is also visible in iPad settings:

Settings > [Your Name / Apple Account] > iCloud > Storage

Your iCloud storage will include files and photos that are synchronised with iCloud - along with automatic iCloud backups of your iPad and other Apple devices.

Before you attempt to delete anything from anywhere, you would be very wise to understand precisely what you have stored - and where - as otherwise you may delete something that you later regret. Without a backup, anything that you delete is likely to be unrecoverable.

With appropriate selection of a very low cost iCloud+ plan, you will very likely not need to delete anything.

While you presumably have independent 50GB iCloud+ plans, your device configuration and stored data will more than likely differ from that of your husband.

You can check and compare which Apps are using your iCloud storage - and the amount for each - by looking at the listed storage information:

Settings > [Your Name / Apple Account] > iCloud > Storage

By example:

This example screenshot is obviously only a partial list, but starting at the top, you have a graphical representation of how available iCloud storage is being used. Here, of my own 200GB iCloud storage plan:

• My Apple device backups (iPhone and two iPads) use 76.5GB (38%) of available space.
• iCloud Drive (my files synchronised with iCloud) are using 14.3GB (7%) of available space.
• iCloud Photos (my photos synchronised with iCloud) use 509MB (~0.5GB / 0.2%) of available space.
• Messages (synchronised with iCloud) use 240MB (~0.25GB / 0.1%) of available space.

Below these items you see a list of your installed Apps and the quantity of iCloud storage being used by each - ordered by size in descending order. Every item can be individually expanded to see more information.

In comparing with your husband, you will each have a good idea of where your storage is being used - and how snd why your individual storage differs between you. Armed with this information, you can then consider both if and how you might need to manage your iCloud storage needs. You might then determine that the most appropriate action for yourself is to upgrade from the 50GB to the 200GB storage tier - the latter getting somewhat closer to the actual cost of that High Street cup coffee. 🙂

Motherwell wrote:

I forgot to say that my husband has iPad Air and I have iPad Pro 5th Generation. Would that make a difference.

Your iPad models themselves may have different storage options. This too can be verified from iPad settings:

Settings > General > About > Capacity

While the two iPads may have different internal storage capacity, this difference (if any) does not of itself directly impact your occupied iCloud storage. That said, if you have more files and photos stored on one iPad, these files if synchronised with iCloud storage will obviously use more of the available iCloud storage.

Remember, unless explicitly configured to not do so, files and photos on your iPad are effectively duplicated to iCloud storage.

In addition to the links provided within my initial reply, you might be well advised to review the iCloud and iPad User Guides:

iCloud User Guide - Apple Support

Use iCloud on iPad - Apple Support

I need to delete everything in my iCloud account. So that I can pick and choose what I save to the iCloud. The system tells me that I have to upgrade my account. Don't understand when my husband also has an iPad with 4700 pictures on his and I have 2700. He has 25 GB left on his and I have only 4GB.

Can you help me.

Thank you for your info. I didn't tell you that both my husband and myself have 50GB on iCloud. Why does he have more available than me. He has 15GB more than me available and has 4700 and I have 2700 photos stored.

What exactly do you mean by “delete icloud details”? And why?

I meant to say that I don’t want to loose anything on my iPad

Thanks

I forgot to say that my husband has iPad Air and I have iPad Pro 5th Generation. Would that make a difference.